Cal. Codes » Education Code / TITLE 3. POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION / DIVISION 5. GENERAL PROVISIONS / PART 40. DONAHOE HIGHER EDUCATION ACT / CHAPTER 2. General Provisions / ARTICLE 2. Comprehensive Mission Statement
California Codes

Cal. Education Code § 66010.4 (2026)

Comprehensive Mission Statement

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The missions and functions of California’s public and independent segments, and their respective institutions of higher education, shall be differentiated as follows:

(a)(1)The California Community Colleges shall, as a primary mission, offer academic and vocational instruction at the lower division level for both younger and older students, including those persons returning to school. Public community colleges shall offer instruction through but not beyond the second year of college. These institutions may grant the associate in arts and the associate in science degree.

(2)The community colleges’ mission shall include all of the following:

(A)The provision of instruction and additional learning supports to close learning gaps for those who need it, instruction in English as a second language, adult noncredit instruction, and support services that help students succeed at the postsecondary level.

(B)The provision of adult noncredit education curricula in areas defined as being in the state’s interest is an essential and important function of the community colleges.

(C)The provision of community services courses and programs is an authorized function of the community colleges if their provision is compatible with an institution’s ability to meet its obligations in its primary missions.

(D)The provision of student support services to facilitate academic success and achievement.

(3)A primary mission of the California Community Colleges is to advance California’s economic growth and global competitiveness through education, training, and services that contribute to continuous workforce improvement.

(4)The California Community Colleges may conduct institutional research concerning student learning and retention, and community college programming to facilitate its educational mission.

(5)The provision of instruction and support to close learning gaps authorized by subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) shall be provided in the form of concurrent support, unless college data and research demonstrates that even with concurrent support a student is highly unlikely to succeed in the course.

(b)(1)The California State University shall offer undergraduate and graduate instruction through the master’s degree in the liberal arts and sciences and professional education, including teacher education. Notwithstanding any other law, undergraduate and graduate degrees may be awarded jointly with international institutions of higher education. Presently established two-year programs in agriculture are authorized, but other two-year programs shall be permitted only when mutually agreed upon by the Trustees of the California State University and the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges.

(2)The doctoral degree may be awarded jointly, as follows:

(A)With the University of California, as provided in subdivision (c) and pursuant to Section 66904.

(B)With one or more independent institutions of higher education, provided that the proposed doctoral program is approved by the California Postsecondary Education Commission.

(C)With international institutions of higher education if the doctoral degree program has been authorized pursuant to Article 4.92 (commencing with Section 66046).

(3)Research, scholarship, and creative activity in support of its undergraduate and graduate instructional mission is authorized in the California State University and shall be supported by the state.

(4)The primary mission of the California State University is undergraduate and graduate instruction through the master’s degree.

(c)The University of California may provide undergraduate and graduate instruction in the liberal arts and sciences and in the professions, including the teaching professions. It shall have exclusive jurisdiction in public higher education over instruction in the profession of law and over graduate instruction in the professions of medicine, dentistry, and veterinary medicine. It has the sole authority in public higher education to award the doctoral degree in all fields of learning, except that it may agree with the California State University to award joint doctoral degrees in selected fields. The University of California shall be the primary state-supported academic agency for research.

(d)The independent institutions of higher education shall provide undergraduate and graduate instruction and research in accordance with their respective missions.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 14 cases (5 in the last 5 years), 1993–2024 · leading case: Orange Unified Sch. Dist. v. Rancho Santiago Cmty. Coll. Dist., 54 Cal. App. 4th 750 (Cal. Ct. App. 1997).
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Orange Unified Sch. Dist. v. Rancho Santiago Cmty. Coll. Dist., 54 Cal. App. 4th 750 (Cal. Ct. App. 1997). · cites it 4× “Education Code section 66010.4 is part of the Donahoe Higher Education Act (Ed.”
Connerly v. State Pers. Bd., 92 Cal. App. 4th 16 (Cal. Ct. App. 2001). “(Ed. Code, §§ 66010.4, 66700.) The community college system is divided into districts.”
City of San Diego v. Bd. of Trs. of the California State Univ., 352 P.3d 883 (Cal. 2015). “(Ed. Code, § 66010.4, subd. (b).) Currently the largest four-year public university in the United States, CSU enrolls 447,000 students and employs 45,000 faculty and staff members on 23 campuses throughout the state.”
California Med. Ass'n v. Regents of Univ. of California, 79 Cal. App. 4th 542 (Cal. Ct. App. 2000). “(Ed. Code, § 66010.4, subd. (c) [“The University of California may provide undergraduate and graduate instruction .”
Unix Sys. Labs., Inc. v. Berkeley Software Design, Inc., 832 F. Supp. 790 (D.N.J. 1993). “The University’s statutory mandate is to “be the primary state-supported academic agency for research,” Cal. Educ.Code § 66010.4(d), and it is well-known that much or most university research is funded through outside grants.”
Coast Cmty. Coll. Dist. v. Com. on State Mandates, No. C080349 (Cal. Ct. App. Apr. 3, 2020). · cites it 8× “” (Ed. Code, § 66010.4, subd. (a)(1).) The community colleges must offer instruction through the second year of college.”
Coast Cmty. Coll. Dist. v. Com. on State Mandates, No. C080349M (Cal. Ct. App. May 1, 2020). · cites it 8× “” (Ed. Code, § 66010.4, subd. (a)(1).) The community colleges must offer instruction through the second year of college.”
Genentech, Inc. v. Regents of the Univ. of California, 143 F.3d 1446 (Fed. Cir. 1998). “” Cal. Educ.Code § 66010.4(c). . We are directed to a press report that in 1994 the University received $50.”
L.A. Coll. Fac. Guild etc. v. L.A. Cmty. Coll. Dist., No. B313085 (Cal. Ct. App. Sept. 21, 2022). · cites it 3× “More specifically, the grievance claims Assembly Bill 705 did not require the course cancellations and Education Code section 66010.4 required community colleges to provide remedial instruction.”
Coast Cmty. Coll. Dist. v. Comm. on State Mandates, 514 P.3d 854 (Cal. 2022). · cites it 2× “(Ed. Code, § 66010.4.) 12 COAST COMMUNITY COLLEGE DIST.”
Untitled California Attorney Gen. Opinion, No. 21-101 (Cal. Att'y Gen. Sept. 24, 2021). “45 Ed. Code, § 66010.4, subd. (a)(1); see Ed.”
Regents of the U. of Cal. v. Super. Ct., No. A169318 (Cal. Ct. App. June 13, 2024). “(Ed. Code, § 66010.4, subd. (c) [University of California has “exclusive jurisdiction in public higher education over .”
Show all 14 citing cases →
Cal. Education Code § 66010.4(c): 1 case
Genentech, Inc. v. Regents of the Univ. of California, 143 F.3d 1446 (Fed. Cir. 1998). “” Cal. Educ.Code § 66010.4(c). . We are directed to a press report that in 1994 the University received $50.”
Cal. Education Code § 66010.4(d): 1 case
Unix Sys. Labs., Inc. v. Berkeley Software Design, Inc., 832 F. Supp. 790 (D.N.J. 1993). “The University’s statutory mandate is to “be the primary state-supported academic agency for research,” Cal. Educ.Code § 66010.4(d), and it is well-known that much or most university research is funded through outside grants.”
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